


Unspoken Love

by clarkjoekent



Series: KakaGai Week 2020 [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, KakaGai Week 2020, Kakashi is depressed, M/M, Pre-Shippuden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28420425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Kakashi gets hit with a wave of depression like no other and Gai is there to pick up the pieces.Kakagai Week Day 3 - Prompt: Dawn / Dusk
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Series: KakaGai Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2075943
Kudos: 43
Collections: KakaGai Week 2020 entries





	Unspoken Love

**Author's Note:**

> Day three just two days late. I'm using both prompts for this one :)

Routine was important for Gai. No matter what the day before brought, he will always wake up before dawn and pretend that the new day will treat him better. It helps his attitude and he doesn’t like to harp on things in the past. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to get out of bed. 

The day starts with a vigorous stretch so he won’t pull anything as he runs his 1000 laps around Konoha. Then he eats a high protein breakfast. After his laps the sun usually is up and he goes to meet his team in the training field. They also stretch and then go to the missions room to pick up a batch of D-rank or C-rank missions. 

When that’s over he treats his team to a hearty meal and then sends them home to get the proper amount of sleep. 

During the day Gai would try to find his beloved Rival but most days he can’t. He knew that if Kakashi doesn’t want to be found - Gai has no chance of finding him. 

It was a few weeks and Gai stopped seeing Kakashi all together. With no Team 7 the man had no excuse to travel around Konoha. Before the team broke apart Kakashi could be found in the cemetery facing the monument, eyes fixed with a blank stare. 

The sun would be setting and Kakashi would be standing still and silent. 

Gai stopped searching, he knew Kakashi would come to him. 

So he waited. 

* * *

Kakashi doesn’t bother getting out of bed anymore. If Tsunade needed him she could just send her ANBU.

With no missions and no alarms nothing is stopping him from sleeping in until he gets a headache. If he really feels like it, he’ll shower and shave. Today was not that day. 

Instead he lays in bed, replaying all the horrid memories of his past until the daylight shifts into dusk. He drags his body out of bed and wills his legs to move towards the kitchen so he could eat something, anything he had in his apartment. He didn’t want to go out to buy food. 

He opened his cabinets and refrigerator and saw nothing. Even the scraps were gone. Kakashi looks at the sun setting outside his window and then weighs the options. He knows he looks how he feels. He didn’t want to risk running into Asuma, Genma, or Kurenai. 

He pads back to his room and throws on something that smelled clean and left the apartment for the first time in a week. His feet taking him to the one place he knew he had to go. Like muscle memory he can shut his brain off and just run. 

It took years for him to realize that the man he was currently going to visit will never judge him, instead he will take care of him. Show him more love than his own father did and that broke Kakashi the most. 

Gai opened the door and accepted a disheveled Kakashi into his home without a second thought. He helped Kakashi take his shoes and the weight he carried on his shoulders off. Leaving them in the hall where they belonged. He guided him to the kitchen and gently sat him down. Gai placed a bowl of food in front of Kakashi and then walked into the kitchen so Kakashi could eat in privacy. 

Gai only acted loud and full of energy when he knew Kakashi was in a better place but this was far different. Not even a Maito smile could get a twitch on Kakashi’s lips. The mood around his rival was dark. Different from when his loved ones died. 

“I thought they would be different.” Kakashi pushed his half eaten bowl away and rested his tired and throbbing head on the table. 

“Different from?” Gai didn’t move to sit next to Kakashi. He remained in the kitchen, a few feet away. 

“I don’t know. I regret so much. It hurts.”

“Kakashi, Sakura is still in the village. Talk to her.”

“I can’t face her. I couldn’t save Sasuke. I couldn’t keep the team together.” 

Gai placed the last clean plate in his cabinet and sighed. “You expect too much from yourself.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t just tell Sasuke about everything. He deserves to know.” 

“The same reason Naruto deserves to know about his parents?”

Kakashi lifted his head and pulled the bowl back in an attempt to choke the rest of the food down. It didn’t taste bad, he was just over eating. 

Gai finally sat down beside Kakashi, taking his rival in. His cheeks were hollow, skin pale, and his eyes showed all of his pain. He hasn’t shaved in a few days, white hair prominent on his face. 

The only light in the whole room was coming from an overhead light, the sun had long set. Kakashi didn’t want to leave Gai’s apartment. It was inviting and smelled familiar, like home. 

“Kakashi. I need you to look at me.” Gai tapped the table, gaining Kakashi’s full attention. “Sasuke left, there’s nothing you can do right now. Naruto is as safe as he can be out of the village even if it’s with Jiraiya. Sakura is learning the best medical ninjutsu from Tsunade. Your team is bright and they’ll find their way back together. Right now you need to focus on getting stronger so when the Akatsuki decide to show up, you’ll be ready.” 

Kakashi sat up and nodded. Gai was confident in his words. It reignited the hope he had thought he lost long ago. The love was radiating off of Gai in waves. It was warm and bright like the morning sun. Kakashi let himself bask in it. 

“Thanks Gai.” Kakashi whispered. They sat in a comfortable silence until Gai stood up, finally shaking Kakashi free from his negative thoughts. 

“Are you going to stay?” Gai took the now empty bowl to the sink knowing Kakashi’s answer. 

“If you don’t mind.” 

“Of course not. Lee spilled curry all over the couch so I had to get them cleaned. You can use my bed.” 

Kakashi weighed his options and then decided to take Gai up on his offer. In the morning, when Gai wakes up to exercise Kakashi will get up and join. He needed to get back into moving again. Kakashi landed face first on Gai’s bed, hanging half off the bed, taking in the smell of his friend’s shampoo. The lavender was soothing, dragging him to sleep.

He can hear Gai chuckle as he moved Kakashi all the way on the bed. A few minutes later the side of the bed dipped and Gai was laying next to him. 

“Wake me up when you get up.” Kakashi yawned and then curled up on his side, his back facing Gai. 

“Of course Rival.” 

Gai didn't bother getting Kakashi up in the morning. He let dawn come and go. Kakashi looked more peaceful than he had in a while and Gai thought it would be a shame to wake him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I've always HC that Gai learns that when Kakashi is in a deep depression, he needs to be more straightforward to shake Kakashi out of his slump. Someone who was stronger than Kakashi in pushing away bad thoughts and replaces the negative with encouragement.


End file.
